AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Olympic athletes can obsess about every aspect of their coaching, training and support systems, constantly looking for a new edge. Jenny Simpson has come to the realization that her situation is about as good as it can be.

She was married last October, hence the name change for the former Jenny Barringer, who ran the steeplechase at the Beijing Olympics while still a student at the University of Colorado. She has a beautiful home in Monument. She has access to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and the athletic facilities at the Air Force Academy.

Her widely respected coach, Air Force coach Juli Benson, was a 1996 Olympian in the 1,500 meters — the event Simpson will run at the upcoming world championships in South Korea.

“I really do feel like I have the things I need to do well,” Simpson said after a workout this week. “Sometimes I think the job of someone in the position I’m in is just relaxing and saying, ‘OK, I have to stop looking for more things.’ Sometimes the pursuit of the perfect situation never ends for people. Sometimes you need to say, ‘OK, I found it, now let’s make it work.’ “

Simpson competed in two world championships as a CU runner and finished ninth at the 2008 Olympics. At the 2009 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., she ran the 1,500 in 3 minutes, 59.9 seconds, breaking the American collegiate record. That time would have been good enough to medal at every world championships since 1987, and was faster than the winning time at the Beijing Olympics.

“Knowing there are people who are incredibly knowledgeable in the sport who think I have a shot at a medal just bolsters my own belief that I belong there and I can race for a medal,” Simpson said. “One of the things we talk about is that I never have to worry about having the will to win. Once you have the spikes on and you’re on the track, I love to go after it.”

She does miss the steeplechase, though. She holds the American record at 9:12,5, which she ran at the 2009 world championships. She had some fantastic duels with Anna Willard, a 2007 Michigan grad.

“I really miss it, I really love it,” Simpson said. “Those were really special years when Anna and I were really pushing the envelope. I think those years will be special for the rest of my career. I hope to reach back to that, and join the steeple again, and see if we can push the envelope again in another year.”

Focusing this year on the 1,500 made more sense, given that Simpson lost most of the 2010 season with a “stress reaction” in her right femur, but either event is possible for her at the London Olympics next year. Benson believes she could be a medal contender in either one.

“There’s nothing she can’t do,” Benson said. “She missed a tremendous amount of time last year, she missed some time this year. When this girl finally gets some good luck and some good things in front of her, the sky really is the limit. I’m really excited about what she can do for the United States.”

The Post's ski and Olympics writer, Meyer covered his 12th Games last summer in Rio de Janeiro. He has covered five World Alpine Ski Championships and more than 100 World Cup ski events. He is a member of the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and Colorado Running Hall of Fame. He regularly covers running and the Colorado Rapids.

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